Rainforest of the Sea Vol. 3

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Vol. 3 Eyeshadow Palette ($36.00 for 0.40 oz.) includes nine warm-toned, neutral eyeshadows with all but one being highly shimmery/metallic in finish. As the majority of shades were packed with shimmer, most of them appeared lighter in practice than they looked in their respective pans.

Of the three volumes released thus far, the formula in Vol. 3 is incredibly dense and contains rather chunky sparkle. It was harder to work with and would be better used with a slightly dampened brush, which helped to smooth and spread the eyeshadows, or else applied with fingertips, where the warmth of the fingertip seemed to help make the eyeshadows more maneuverable (which the brand recommended). Fingertips were good for spreading the product over the lid, but it seemed to waste a lot of product as it did not transfer as much product onto the lid as with a brush (it was stuck to the fingertip). With this type of denser formulation, I tend to use flat, synthetic brushes (like MAC 242), which I find does a better job of picking up and applying the formula than very soft brushes.

The formula was a lot less versatile, and the shade range was more limited here–the palette’s composition seemed lacking in contrast–and will be most suitable for someone who likes very shimmery, light neutrals and likes this type of dense formula.

Escape

Escape is a light, golden beige with warm undertones and a sparkling, metallic finish. It had good color payoff with a firmer, denser consistency that was harder to spread and blend across the lid. The eyeshadow lasted for eight hours but had minor fallout over time.

Tiki

Tiki is a light beige with warm, yellow undertones and a satin finish. The texture was dense, smooth, and firm in the pan, but this shade was fairly easy to work with and had good pigmentation. It started to fade on me after eight hours of wear.

Heat Wave

Heat Wave is a soft, light-medium peach with warm, orange undertones and a sparkling, metallic finish. It had medium pigmentation, which was buildable to semi-opaque coverage, though with a dampened brush, it was nearly opaque in a single layer. Applied dry, it had a tendency to appear thicker and somewhat patchy on, as it just did not adhere evenly (with or without primer–I actually find this type of formula sometimes applies better without primer!). The eyeshadow stayed on well for seven and a half hours.

Malibu

Malibu is a medium-dark bronze with warm undertones and a metallic finish. It had semi-opaque pigmentation that applied well to bare skin. The consistency was denser but soft enough not to be problematic in picking up the product onto a variety of brushes nor did it apply unevenly. This shade wore well for eight hours on me.

Rays

Rays is a light-medium, golden peach with warm undertones and a pearly sheen with faint sparkle. It had intense color payoff that applied evenly to bare skin, though it was hard to spread the product across the lid. I could easily pack it on and diffuse just the edges, but it was best applied exactly where you wanted it and then repeated for a larger area. The texture was denser, smooth to the touch, and firmer in the pan. The color started to fade on me after seven and a half hours.

Compass

Compass is a bright, light-medium gold with strong, warm undertones and a metallic finish. The eyeshadow had a soft, denser texture that was still pliable and easier to use compared to other shades in the palette. It had great color coverage in a single layer, blended out nicely, and sat well on the lid. This shade lasted for eight hours on me.

Jewel

Jewel is a bright, medium copper with strong, warm orange undertones and a sparkling, metallic finish. It was richly pigmented and had a creamy, dense texture that was a little thicker than other shades but adhered evenly to the lid. The trouble with this shade was between the more metallic finish and thickness, it seemed to emphasize my lid’s texture. It wore well for eight hours on me before creasing faintly.

Treasure

Treasure is a bright white with neutral-to-warm undertones and a metallic sheen. The texture was drier, firmer, and dense to the point where I had to jab and push at the surface to get the product onto my brushes. It had medium, buildable pigmentation that applied somewhat unevenly. I would use this with a dampened brush to improve coverage and application. This shade started to fade noticeably on me after seven and a half hours of wear.